Three women had previously collected the discarded work clothes that were piled together on the bank beside the stream, including Dani’s jeans and her cotton shirt and white socks from the rocks where she had left them. Later she found her clothes, clean and dry, hanging from a cord stretched between the slender stems of several Jjang trees. The same group gathered and ate a light meal of bread and cheese with fresh berries and after went back into the woods, this time to gather flint, feathers, honey and other raw materials. The team was divided up into four groups of three, with Dani teamed with Januise and a young man named Brynn, with whom she went in search of feathers, of all things.

“For fletching arrows,” Januise explained.

They ended up at the foot of a lofty Fhugari. Brynn, using a rope to scale the tall trunk by way of its lowest branch, quickly hoisted his body over thick lower branches until he disappeared from view. Januise handed Dani a collapsible basket and told her to work her way around the base of the giant and look for feathers in the vegetation. She found one or two for Dani and showed her the difference between the tail and wing feathers and instructed her to sort them as she collected then. Dani was to look for the green and gold striped feathers of the Gillihawk while Januise concentrated on the pink stippled black feathers of the Barimule two large fowl that nested in the Fhugarim and shed their winter feathers in New Summer. Dani found a number of feathers trapped in the bushes and brambles or cradled in the crook of thin branches.

They worked in companionable silence for a while. Dani worked the base of the Fughari counterclockwise in concentric circles drawing ever closer to the trunk while Januise did the same working clockwise. Occasionally their paths crossed. On the first such crossing, Januise took a few moments to check Dani’s work, plucking out the deficient feathers – pointing out their faults – and commenting on the virtues of those she left alone.

Dani said nothing. She worried that her energy would suddenly slip. The hard digging of the tubers had kept her distracted, but the physical effort had been demanding and she could feel the weariness in her body, a weariness that frustrated because she was used to being strong she was used to boundless energy. She had tolerated Theo carrying her because she had no choice. But any work Theo gave her to do had never been too physically demanding. The last thing she wanted was to drop into an exhausted stupor, here among Maddie’s people, to be seen as weak. She needed to be strong because Theo depended on her. The work of gathering feathers was not taxing, so she worked very slowly. She wandered the area surrounding the giant, drawn ever closer to its trunk while her thoughts shifted away from the task at hand, away from Theo’s plight, away from her unbegun search for Mama away from the fact that Maddie was the Orphan King’s daughter, until she stopped walking and stopped looking for feathers altogether.

Dani thought for one strange moment that the Fughari had whispered her name.

She took a couple of involuntary steps, her hand extended, reaching to the Fughari for an explanation and stumbled over one gnarled root and fell to her knees. Several of her gathered feathers fell to the ground. She left them.

The stately Fhugarim in the Hill Country grew more widely spaced here than she remembered the ones in the forest on Theo’s mountain to the northwest, but not as widely spaced as those that occupied the open plains. Looking up she could see a bit of open sky in between.

She stared up into this one’s distant branches and pressed her hands flat against the trunk. She could feel its life force, a fizzy current that tickled her palms and raced up her arms and into her body. Again she believed the thing whispered her name. But that was impossible. It was an inanimate object, not a living thing at all. There was no life force, The tingling had to be related to something else. What, she did not know.

The rough bark-like surface was cool to the touch and looked more like petrified wood than anything organic. Dani pressed her body to it, spreading her arms out in what might look like an attempt at a hug but it would require maybe a half dozen Dani’s stretched fingertip to fingertip to reach around the full girth of the structure; may be more. The fizzy current faded and became a distant timpanist’s rumble. The thrum invaded her body instead. She turned around and slid down and sat on the ground, drawing her knees up. She did not want to collect feathers.

Something in the Fughari pulled at her brain. It almost felt like an itch, but how do you scratch a mental itch? The feeling was similar to her compulsion to hold Theo’s amethyst box in her hand and stronger than the desire to pick up the diamond she had found in the river shallows and then to keep the gem in the grip of her hand.

Low voices and quiet footsteps dragged her attention away from her reverie. A group of young ones carrying burlap sacks that were worn over one shoulder and bumped on the opposite hip appeared out of the thick bush and angled off in the direction of camp. The bags looked heavy. Sillie was in their midst. Their light laughter and conversation faded out of hearing while Dani wondered what work had they been doing?

How could anyone take seriously a girl named Sillie?

"Sillie is a pet name," Januise’s voice came from her left.

Had she spoken aloud?

"Sillie is short for Silliandra. Why have you stopped working?"

Dani pushed away from the Fughari.

"I am done."

Januise did not try to hold her back.

Dani returned to camp following somewhat the same direction the children had used, a hollow anxiety taking shape as she walked. Occasionally the sound of their laughter drifted lazily on the warm wind.

When she walked into camp she delivered her slim harvest of feathers to an agitated red haired man under the tent then strode out the far end facing the camp where she came on another debacle like those she had witnessed the day before. It was as she suspected. Three were on Theo at once, the two guards (not the same two who kept watch yesterday) and the bitterly angry pugilist, Georg. The sight of the three of them ganging up on Theo made her instantly forget her promise to him. Theo was under attack and she had to defend him. Without proper training in battle and the use of weapons Dani could only fall back on her talent for the pitch. Back home she was famous for her hard overhand fast ball, a talent mostly wasted because she was limited to playing girls softball and had to use the underarm windup. However, the coach of the boys team frequently invited her to pitch for the JV team during practice because she was the best picher in the shchool. When no one was looking she had selected choice stones whenever possible and secreted them into the pouch she had made from the Quibshift leather and now wore over her shoulder. Just in case. Now she was very glad she had prepared for just this possibility.

Dani made no sound as she left the shelter of the tent and crossed the clearing with a rock already in hand. She let it fly reaching for a second missile before the first pitch hit its mark; it sliced into the cheek of the female guard. Blood flew. The woman leapt back in surprise and howled in pain. As soon as the second pitch was made Dani had a third stone in her hand. The male guard was staring in disbelief at his comrade when the second rock struck him high on the forehead and knocked him back two steps. The third rock, the sharpest Dani could find sliced into Georg’s ear, taking a sizable chunk with it -- and that was no lucky accident either. With each successive pitch she had closed the distance so that when she lobbed her fourth and final missile it slammed into Georg’s nose even before he had a chance to do more than holler about the first strike. His bellow was cut off in midstream to be replaced with a pathetic yelp. He pressed both hands to his face and doubled over.

Their sluggish reaction to her attack implied that after yesterday’s verbal altercations they had decided Dani was all talk, a blunder in judgment on their part she was more than happy to rectify. Dani turned her wrath on the crowd that had gathered to watch the abuse and to jeer Theo, pelting them viciously alternating right and left handed pitches scattering them into a hasty retreat back to the tent and their duties. A few stragglers clamped hands on Georg who turned on her in a rage, blood flowing from his wounded ear and leaking between his fingers from his nose, and wisely pulled him out of the line of fire. He did not go easily. Even the two guards backed off to a safe distance

Dani stood with a rock clenched in each fist, arms rigid at her sides and called after them. “And don’t you forget it!”

She was the Queen’s daughter and though the Lowlandians were not directly under the Orphan King’s Rule, he and his queen were their allies and all were compelled to keep Dani from harm, for political gain as much as for friendship. Januise was a font of helpful information.

Theo was tilted precariously backwards on the brink of falling over. Terrified that such a fall would break his arms Dani dropped on her knees, flung her arms around his neck and pulled him to her with all her might. He rocked forward. His full weight bore down on her. For the first time she felt his true weight as she was forced back to sit on her heels. She tried to compensate by digging her toes in but the packed earth and rock shelf offered nothing in which to dig. Her sneakers just slid across the topsoil. They were about to fall over and there was a real possibility that she would be crushed under him but then his chest and stomach muscles bunched and he managed to stop his body’s forward momentum and between that and her pathetic resistance they steadied

For a moment they stared at each other, frozen in time, their bodies leaning together when a distant electrical current frizzed between them interrupting his mixed expression of anger and admiration.

Neither spoke.

Dani heard sobbing and was mortified to realize it was she who sounded so mortally wounded. She shook with rage and sorrow. Ashamed, she dropped her gaze and blindly searched among the few rocks left in her handmade bag until her fingers curled around a cool smooth handle. She withdrew her hand and saw for the first time a small four inch obsidian blade, hand hewn and bound to a plain bone handle with purple leather cord. She met Theo’s eyes. When had he put it there? Never mind that, when had he made it?

Never mind that, Dani. She put the sharp blade to use slicing the rope that bound Theo to the heavy branch.

The hobbling ropes were piled on the ground behind him. Who had detached them and why? The obsidian blade made quick work of the rope on Theo’s right. The log sagged but when it did the left end of the log pushed up hard on Theo’s left shoulder. He groaned from the sudden excruciating pain. With renewed hope Dani reached across the branch and went to work on the remaining coils of rope. Theo wrenched his right arm free.

Yes. Yes.

He was coming untethered.

Good.

Once she freed his left arm he would have a good chance to escape and she would do her best to stand in the way of anyone who tried to stop him. But instead of working with her to free his left arm he ignored her efforts and with his right arm encircled her waist. He rotated his shoulder into her, turned her around, came forward onto his knees and laid her flat on the ground. He leaned over her.

Her face was hot. Her head hurt and her turbulent heart sounded loud and so frantic, beating fierce inside her ribcage and then at the base of her throat.

Why did Theo not run?

Theo’s face was above her, his expression stern.

“Calm yourself, Danielle.” He ordered. “Calm down.”

Run! Her mouth formed the word but no sound came with it. Theo did not run.

Maddie’s voice impeded, giving orders, demanding explanation.

Theo was torn from Dani’s line of sight. In time they had his arms bound to the log again and his body hobbled. But still she heard his voice, calm and reassuring, telling her to take slow even breaths. But she couldn’t. She felt cold, frail and alone. She had failed to save Theo.

Maddie squatted beside her and covered her hand with hers. She took the small knife away and Dani let her. With one arm braced on her knee, with the knife in her hand Maddie pulled Dani into a sitting position and considered her with a thoughtful, disapproving frown.

“This is pointless, Little Sister. We will not let you take him.”

“I hate you.” Dani said with a venom that belied how fragile and insignificant she felt.

“I understand.” Maddie said with self-possessed patience. She was so regal in that moment, speaking without any hint of snobbery, so like her father that Dani wanted to shriek.

“You have a duty to your friend but I have a duty to my people.” Maddie sympathized. It was there in her eyes, her expression stern but caring. “You are outnumbered. Please stop this one woman insubordination before you hurt yourself.”

It was too late. Dani’s head was all swimmy with vertigo. She heard panting, but at least she was no longer crying. She pushed away from Maddie, curled up on the ground beside Theo, wrapped her arms tightly about his waist and rested her head on his chest. Just let anyone try to separate them. If they so much as leaned in her direction they would have a fight on their hands. Terrible weariness descended taking away her energy in that way that always motivated Theo to rearrange their packs in order to pick her up and carry her.

She spoke to Theo’s perturbed expression and ignored Maddie completely.

“I won’t let them have you Theo. They can’t have you.” She could barely get a word out. Physical exhaustion from the demanding labor earlier in the day, emotional hysteria coupled with the trauma of discovering Theo being abused and the humiliation of realizing her own behavior was out of control and incomprehensible even to her. What motivated it? The physical connection to him alone filled her with an inexplicable sense of safety. Why? It was incongruent with his current hobbled condition: it was physically impossible for him to protect himself, let alone Dani.

But she tightened her hold curling her fingers into his soft leather jerkin. Just let them try to pull her off him. Dani geared herself up for further battle, calling on reserves she did not know she possessed, as hands took hold of her and tugged.

“Leave her be.” Theo’s voice was sharp with warning.

“What do you propose to do, criminal?” Maddie’s tone was equally sharp, but with derision. “She is no longer your concern.”

Theo persisted. “Give her room. Give her time to calm….” He was cut off by a blow. Dani felt his body shudder and heard the horrible loud crack. His body swayed. She gripped him even harder and howled her displeasure, she had no time for words, not time for rational thought, all she could do was kick out viciously at whoever was trying to pry her off Theo and contort her lower body in a vain attempt to break their determined hold on her.

“Do not presume to tell me what to do.”

When Theo spoke again, there was calmness in his voice that was more terrifying than anything Dani had ever heard his self assuredness full of menace and promise.

“What will you tell the Queen when Danielle’s heart fails her? She is not yet acclimated; this commotion is only doing her harm and your attempts to control her will fail. She will keep on like this until she collapses. You want her life on your hands, keep using force, but you know when you took us into custody she was in very good health. She has been in your care for one day and already she is nearly done in.”

“Is that a threat?”

“I am in no position to pose a threat to anyone. I can only appeal to your good grace.” His voice was like acid. The very sound of it brought instant calm to Dani and she stopped howling at once, even as the hands struggling to separate her from Theo let go. Maddie’s people had likely responded to some unspoken command on her part, so finely attuned as they were to her.

All through this debacle Dani kept her eyes squeezed tight, mostly to keep threatening tears from spilling over into the kind of heedless sobbing that she had succumbed to once already. She could not bear to humiliate herself like that again. Damnable tears. Damnable weeping; it was the weapon of the helpless. At least the howling served to intimidate their captors, the mad quality of it could unhinge even the most determined level headed assailant, but tears would only illicit pity.

Since when did she turn to weeping to express herself, the girl who had not shed a tear in more than seven years?

“Calm down, Danielle.”

Dani clung to him taking comfort from his strong body, and its radiant heat against the encroachment of the cool evening air, finding comfort in the stern reprimand in his voice. She dared not speak, because tears still lurked just beneath the surface, her heart was so filled with fear and sorrow and pain and loss, how was she ever to overcome its influence when she was incapable of naming its source?

“Breathe deep, Danielle. Remember, deep calming breaths.”

I’m trying, I’m trying. But all she managed were a few ragged gasps.

Theo stopped trying to talk her through and fell silent, so for a time while her breathing shuddered and her heart thudded and her head blazed with pain, she listened to the rhythm of his heart, concentrated on the steady rise and fall of his chest, until she became aware of his voice, speaking in a low rhythmic pattern. Only slowly she realized he was quoting the Psalter. Psalm 139, to be exact.

“Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it….”

She recognized it because it had been Mama’s particular favorite, and Mama had read her Psalter religiously, every day all through Dani’s childhood, often reading it to Dani like a picture book, holding her on her lap but hiding the book quickly whenever Daddy came home unexpectedly.

“… where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven you are there… your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me….”

Once Mama told her about Grammy and said that not only had Grammy helped her find her love and talent for writing but had passed on to Mama her abiding faith in God. And Mama’s dearest wish for her was that she too would be captured by the same faith.

Dani did not know about that.

“… you knitted me together in my mother’s womb….”

She enjoyed the sound of Theo’s voice and took comfort in knowing that these were not mere words to him; he believed them and from the quality of his recitation she did not doubt that he quoted the Psalm as much for his own peace of mind as for hers.

“…in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them…

Before she knew it Dani was breathing deeply, sliding swiftly toward sleep.

“Search me, oh God, and know my heart…see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

After a quiet moment, the last thing she heard was Theo’s whisper: “That’s my girl. Sleep now. When you wake up you will feel better.”

She came awake gasping for breath staring up into Theo’s concerned face.

“You were having a nightmare.”

“Tell me about it.” Her whole body quivered. She looked around. It was dark. The time was anyone’s guess. The tent was ablaze with light as if something special was happening. Above the sloping roof of the tent the dim hint of blue light shivered among the trees betraying the first sliver of the moon’s fulling cycle. It appeared everyone was in the tent but Theo, Dani, a four-man bodyguard and the unseen sentries in the surrounding wood.

A wool blanket was puddled in her lap. She pulled it up to her shoulders, turned and snuggled against Theo. Dani relaxed while the details of her creepy dream slipped away. They sat in companionable silence for several minutes until Theo opened his mouth and spoiled it.

“Now that you are awake, they will take you up to the tent.”

So far no one had shown any indication that was about to happen.

“I’ll fight them,” Dani promised.

“Yes. I see now I cannot bully you into staying out of trouble. Be that as it may I want you to do as you are told. As Maddie sees it, you are the one who needs protecting.”

“From you? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Our time together is over; you must accept it, Danielle. Over. Stop giving Maddie a hard time and forget about me; she is only thinking of your best interest. My predicament is my own doing and you have to accept it.”

“You are my friend Theo; I won’t turn my back on you.”

“Eventually you will wish you had.”

“I doubt that.”

His expression was troubled and then he changed the subject abruptly.

“You were dreaming about your mother.”

“How would you know?”

“You spoke in your sleep.”

“I did not.”

“Just before you woke you said, ‘The devil is in the house.’” He whispered dramatically. “And then in a frightened voice; ‘Mommy.’”

She was shaken as much because she had said something like that aloud as from the reminder of the dream. She shrugged to emphasize how little she cared about a silly, insignificant dream.

“So? It was just a dream.”

Two figures emerged from the tent.

“Your mother’s journal is in my haversack.” Theo said, looking past her and changing the subject yet again.

“So?”

“You have my permission to go in and get it.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 16